Netters smash Cardinal hopes for home

Sunday, April 7, 1996

Gimelstob clinches final match, helps preserve top spot in
nation for BruinsBy Mark Shapiro

Daily Bruin Staff

This was the way it should be. The two best teams in men’s
tennis battling in a superbly played match all the way down to the
last set. The top-ranked UCLA men’s tennis team and the
second-ranked Stanford Cardinals had fought all morning and now the
result rested on the serve of sophomore superstar Justin
Gimelstob.

With the dual-match score knotted at three, the final match
between Gimelstob and Stanford’s Jeff Salzenstein would be the
clincher, one way or the other. With a 6-4 lead in the third-set
tiebreaker and 2,000 fans roaring in his ear, Gimelstob promptly
cracked an ace to close out the match and preserve a 4-3 victory
and the top spot in the nation.

"It’s incredible," UCLA head coach Billy Martin said. "The big
thing is beating them up there. For us to do it when they put
everything on the line is really nice. It was just a really
exciting match and a huge victory."

The Bruins got off to a slow start again and got swept in the
doubles to find themselves in a 1-0 hole. UCLA was able to rally
and took three of the first four singles matches completed to help
stem the tide. Senior Srdjan Muskatirovic swamped Jim Thomas 6-2,
6-2 at No. 2, junior Eric Taino came up with a third-set 6-1
victory over Paul Goldstein at the third position and Matt Breen
crushed Grant Elliot 6-3, 6-1 at the fourth position.

With a 3-2 lead, it was up to either freshman Vince Allegre or
Gimelstob to close out the match. After holding four match points
at 6-5, and three more in the tiebreaker, Allegre finally succumbed
to Ricky Becker, 11-9 in the third-set tiebreaker, setting the
stage for Gimelstob’s heroics. After being up a break and serving
for the match at 5-4, Gimelstob lost his serve and, after
exchanging holds, found himself in a tiebreaker.

Gimelstob quickly fell behind 4-1 in the tiebreaker and with
2,000 obnoxious fans screaming in his ear, the situation seemed
bleak, but he rallied back and took a 6-4 lead, setting up his ace
and game, set and match.

"As far as a dual match goes, it was pretty exciting," Martin
said. "It took a mature, strong team to do it because they were
gunning for us and the crowd was really hostile."

This victory, which was UCLA’s first at the Farm in several
years, was especially sweet after a swarm of nasty comments from
Stanford players in the Stanford newspaper reached the Bruins’
ears. With those words serving as ammunition, the Bruins beat back
a solid Stanford squad as well as their fans, firmly establishing
which team deserves to be ranked No. 1 in the nation.

"This really has to put a doubt in their minds," Martin said.
"Our guys have an incredible will to win."

After Friday’s epic battle, the Bruins had to do it all over
again as they faced 15th-ranked California. Any worry about a
letdown after such an emotional victory was quickly laid to rest as
the Bruins rolled over the Golden Bears 5-2.

"That was tough to do, to not let up," Martin said. "It’s hard
coming back the next day after a tough match."

FRED HE/Daily Bruin

Justin Gimelstob’s victory sealed UCLA’s win at Stanford.

(Justin) Gimelstob … cracked an ace to close out the match and
preserve a 4-3 victory.This victory, which was UCLA’s first at the
Farm in several years, was especially sweet after a swarm of nasty
comments from Stanford players in the Stanford newspaper reached
the Bruins’ ears.